The present invention relates to exercise methods and apparatus and more particularly, to exercise equipment which facilitates movement of a person""s feet through generally elliptical paths.
Exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate a variety of exercise motions. For example, treadmills allow a person to walk or run in place; stepper machines allow a person to climb in place; bicycle machines allow a person to pedal in place; and other machines allow a person to skate and/or stride in place. Yet another type of exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate relatively more complicated exercise motions and/or to better simulate real life activity. Such equipment typically uses a linkage assembly to convert a relatively simple motion, such as circular, into a relatively more complex motion, such as elliptical. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,185,622 to Swenson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,529 to Eschenbach; U.S. Pat. No. 5,383,829 to Miller; U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,637 to Rodgers, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,281 to Stearns et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,086 to Maresh et al.
Generally speaking, the present invention provides a novel linkage assembly and corresponding exercise apparatus suitable for linking circular motion to relatively more complex, generally elliptical motion. On a preferred embodiment, left and right first cranks are rotatably mounted on a rearward portion of a frame, and left and right second cranks are rotatably mounted on an opposite, forward portion of the frame. Left and right rails are rotatably interconnected between respective first cranks and respective second cranks, and left and right foot supports are movably mounted on respective rails. Left and right rocker links are pivotally mounted on the frame, and operatively connected to respective foot supports. Left and right drawbar links are movably interconnected between respective cranks and respective rocker links. The resulting assembly constrains the rails to move through respective circular paths relative to the frame, while also constraining the foot supports to move back and forth relative to respective rails. Among other things, the present invention may be considered advantageous to the extent that the foot supports remain in a single, desirable orientation during exercise activity. Additional features and/or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the more detailed description that follows.